Whitehall Meadows and Bingley IslandNature ReserveWhitehall Meadows and Bingley Island dates back to the Doomsday period. Today it is one of a few areas of riverside grassland that has not been treated with weedkillers or fertilisers, which means that a wide variety of species can thrive.

The meadows are characterised by damp loving grassland plant species, and bats, snails, common reptiles, dragonflies, damselflies and butterflies are just some of the wildlife that has been seen in the meadows. The wet riverside meadows grow on peat on shingle, and are cut annually or grazed as part of a maintenance regime. In the long term, we hope to graze the meadows to improve the grassland species and provide a more interesting and active historic landscape. We are working closely with the neighbouring landowners to graze the area effectively and hope to see the reappearance of species such as marsh orchid and ragged robin.

In Victorian times, Canterbury born Thomas Sidney Cooper painted traditional English landscapes of cattle and sheep grazing in this area, on the north bank of the River Stour immediately upstream from Westgate Gardens, Canterbury.CanterburyCT2 8NLUnited Kingdom51.2760866105021.064965724945http://explorekent.org/activities/whitehall-meadows-and-bingley-island/

Whitehall Meadows and Bingley Island

Nature Reserve, free entry

Whitehall Meadows, wild horses

Contact

Address

Canterbury,CT2 8NL

Details

Whitehall Meadows and Bingley Island dates back to the Doomsday period. Today it is one of a few areas of riverside grassland that has not been treated with weedkillers or fertilisers, which means that a wide variety of species can thrive.

The meadows are characterised by damp loving grassland plant species, and bats, snails, common reptiles, dragonflies, damselflies and butterflies are just some of the wildlife that has been seen in the meadows. The wet riverside meadows grow on peat on shingle, and are cut annually or grazed as part of a maintenance regime. In the long term, we hope to graze the meadows to improve the grassland species and provide a more interesting and active historic landscape. We are working closely with the neighbouring landowners to graze the area effectively and hope to see the reappearance of species such as marsh orchid and ragged robin.

In Victorian times, Canterbury born Thomas Sidney Cooper painted traditional English landscapes of cattle and sheep grazing in this area, on the north bank of the River Stour immediately upstream from Westgate Gardens, Canterbury.

Prices

Location

Directions

Whitehall Meadows can be found west of Toddlers Cove play area, at the end of Wesgate Gardens in Canterbury. Bingley Island is south of the Toddlers Cove play area and is accessed through Tannery Field.

By car: From the West Gate mini roundabout in Canterbury head out of the city then take first left into Linden Grove, which leads into Whitehall Road. Park at Toddlers Cove Car Park.

By train: Canterbury East and West are both less than 1 mile from the site.